I
must first apologise for the late appearance of your magazine. Ironically, the
same thing happened exactly a year ago. Next year maybe Iíll have the good
sense not to upgrade my computer halfway through the schedule. I could come up
with more excuses, but thatís boring, so Iíll just apologise, promise to
try and do better next time, and set myself a proper deadline to do just that.
It ought not to be too difficult, as my close association with Hi-Fi
Choice magazine (covering some 30 of the past 34 years) was
terminated following the magazineís recent purchase by an organisation with
the unlikely name of My Hobby Store (which also now owns Hi-Fi
News).

Although the
previous owners hadnít seemed in the least concerned, the new management was
unhappy that HIFICRITIC was
promoted on the basis that its freedom from advertising ensured superior
independence from commercial pressures. I was effectively given an ultimatum
that if I wanted to continue to work for Choice,
I would have to give up editing CRITIC.

Even ignoring
the fact that I react badly when someone tries to push me around, this was
really no contest. Iíve always enjoyed editing as much as writing, so I like
an arrangement that means I can edit HIFICRITIC
while also contributing to it and other titles. Furthermore, I
hoped that giving up Choice would
give me more time to write for CRITIC.

I should add
that getting off the Hi-Fi Choice treadmill
after all these years has actually proved rather welcome. However, this change
and the reason that lies behind it has also focused my attention on some of
the less welcome politicking that goes on amongst the hi-fi media. Itís
almost as though we were actually important parts of the industry, rather than
merely parasitic commentators!

Itís part of
my job as editor to choose and chase equipment for review. Unfortunately as HIFICRITIC
is the newest magazine around with the smallest circulation,
weíre inevitably low down the pecking order when it comes to receiving
review product.

I donít
particularly mind that, as Iím not the least interested in trying to
Ďscoopí other magazines with Ďfirst reviewsí. Indeed, Iíd much
rather run a review conducted after due consideration by an expert, than rush
into print in order to be first. What does rather alarm me is the rumour that
some magazines refuse to review a product at all unless given first dibs.

The advertising
and editorial departments had very little communication when I was working in
publishing houses back in the 1970s and 1980s, but today the links between
them do seem to have become an area of some sensitivity.

Maybe times have
changed, but as far as Iím concerned an editorís sole responsibility
should be to search out the very best possible content to suit his readership.
We might be the new kids on the hi-fi magazine block, but I believe weíre
producing an interesting, varied and authoritative read for all hi-fi
enthusiasts, and have managed to create a magazine that has its own
distinctive identity.